l_prelas's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the stories Aleph and The Immortal! Aleph really is an enjoyable, smart, and important read and I feel it is a classic for a reason. The style is great and the classic Borges inclusion of references to history, literature and art are wonderfully woven into the story. They enhance the story and the style really supports the inclusion of the references (unlike in other stories, but I will get to that). The Immortal is stylistically more tedious (similarly to the rest of the collection), but still enjoyable. The story felt like a precursor of sorts to the sci-fi/speculative fiction styles that came after Borges' hayday.
The rest of the stories were just okay. Cool ideas at the core of them, but the style - specifically the way that Borges includes references in the stories - really messed with my reading experience. I love learning about "real life" from fiction writers and I absolutely do not mind a book with an abundance of notes and references. But - when the references are obviously included to enhance the story, but are not explained for those of us who spent a little less time reading epics and religious texts from the middle-ages, I cannot help but feel that the author maybe expects too much from the reader? Or also wants to exclude the "stupid ones"? Maybe people who read Borges' work in the 1940's understood and have read all the epics and religious texts, but, unfortunatelly, I am not that kind of reader. The style and the short-story form would not support the in-text explanations of the references, I know, but also - a note or two more from Borges or the editors would have been nice. Also - regardless of my knowledge - I have seen in-text referencing in literature handled much better when it comes to style and fluidity. In Borges' case, the inclusion of references in stories other than Aleph was just clunky and a bit pretentious. Exclusionary maybe.
Glad I read it, but would recommend only the select few stories (Aleph for sure and The Immortal).
The rest of the stories were just okay. Cool ideas at the core of them, but the style - specifically the way that Borges includes references in the stories - really messed with my reading experience. I love learning about "real life" from fiction writers and I absolutely do not mind a book with an abundance of notes and references. But - when the references are obviously included to enhance the story, but are not explained for those of us who spent a little less time reading epics and religious texts from the middle-ages, I cannot help but feel that the author maybe expects too much from the reader? Or also wants to exclude the "stupid ones"? Maybe people who read Borges' work in the 1940's understood and have read all the epics and religious texts, but, unfortunatelly, I am not that kind of reader. The style and the short-story form would not support the in-text explanations of the references, I know, but also - a note or two more from Borges or the editors would have been nice. Also - regardless of my knowledge - I have seen in-text referencing in literature handled much better when it comes to style and fluidity. In Borges' case, the inclusion of references in stories other than Aleph was just clunky and a bit pretentious. Exclusionary maybe.
Glad I read it, but would recommend only the select few stories (Aleph for sure and The Immortal).
david_rhee's review against another edition
4.0
I went into my self appointed minor league reading rehab program by picking up short stories collections mostly because I concluded, well, I can't seem to read long stories lately...so how about those short ones? That was not a great idea. No knock against the stories by any means, but my thought process was, as it has been many times before, just flat out wrong. Borges' stories are deep and complex. To have to develop plot and characters completely and speedily within such a confined space probably necessitates that kind of density. There was time bending craziness and portals into the infinite and death in many odd forms. But also there is the dusty hardened violent life in the old Argentine which felt so real it could be heard and smelled. I can't say any of this was uplifting and not saying it intended to be, but was it entertaining and engaging? Absolutely.
rdiosteve's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written work. Thought provoking, and almost poetic at times.
yelafeld's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
relarlau's review against another edition
5.0
"[...] vi la circulación de mi oscura sangre, vi el engranaje del amor y la modificación de la muerte, vi el Aleph, desde todos los puntos, vi en el Aleph la tierra, y en la tierra otra vez el Aleph y en el Aleph la tierra, vi mi cara y mis vísceras, vi tu cara, y sentí vértigo y lloré: porque mis ojos habían visto ese objeto secreto y conjetural, cuyo nombre usurpaban los hombres, pero que ningún hombre ha mirado [...]"
mabel_md's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5